Teen Talk: How has substance abuse affected your school or community?

“It has caused many people I know in my community to grow distant from relationships and hide from their responsibilities or problems.”Christine Dao, junior

“I’ve witnessed families being torn down due to it.”

Issaquah High School

Benny Feinsilber, junior

“I have observed a few intelligent and exceptional students tarnish their reputations and future by one simple poor choice.”

Sabrina Page, junior

“People who get caught with drugs usually suffer hard consequences, which damage their chances of getting opportunities later.”

Skyline High School

Ian Walp, senior

“I have seen people my age face the consequences of choosing to drive drunk. Though they may seem petty at the time, bad decisions made in high school can have detrimental effects on the rest of a person’s life.”

Niyathi Chakrapani, junior

“I have seen and met families of drunk driving victims and know that substance abuse hurts not only the user, but also innocent people.”

Eastside Catholic High School

Jake Kunin, senior

“It’s definitely a substantial influence in high school, and most high schoolers have somewhat experimented with it. There is a lot of pressure for it to be seen as a norm.”

Emma Abraham, sophomore

“It’s made a lot of relationships between people be very stressful, and it degrades the academic and athletic quality of students and the overall cohesiveness of the community.”